Burial-vault.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. OKEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF THREE-FIFTHS TO ALBERT J. GODDARD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND LOUIS NATHAN.

BU RIAL-VAU LT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,927, dated December 30, 1902. Application filed March 17,1902. Serial. No. 98,549. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. OKEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a vault formed of cement slabs which may be mated together, so as to inclose a casket, the slabs being so formed at adjacent ends as to produce a strong interlock.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of one of the end slabs.

In the drawings, 5 indicates a bottom slab having embedded therein metallic bars 6 in the usual manner. Along each edge of slab 5 on its upper face is formed rabbet 7, and a groove 8 is formed in the bottom of each lip so formed. The side slabs 9 are providedon their bottoms with a rib 10, adapted to lie in one of the grooves 8, and metallic bars 11 are embedded in said side slabs. The upper edge of each side bar is provided with the rabbet 12, which is adapted to receive the adjacent 3o edge of a top slab 13.

End slabs 14. are duplicates, and each of said slabs has formed along each vertical edge a tenon 15, the inner face 16 of which is a continuation of the inner face of the slab,

while the outer face l7is undercut, as shown. Formed in the inner face of each side slab 9 is a mortise 18, which is adapted to receive tenon 15, the said mortise having a shoulder 19, against which the face 16 of tenon 15 may be forced. The mortise is made somewhat larger than the tenon and at its bottom is provided with an additional groove 20. The strengthening-bar 11, which is embedded in the slab, is at each end bent down to form a lip 21, which extends alongside the inclined face of the mortise 18. Secured to said bar 11 is an angle-bar 22, one finger of which extends alongside face 19-01'' the mortise, the angle-bar and lip 21 thus reinforcing the slab along both sides of the mortise.

In assembling, the side slabs are placed upon the rabbeted edges of the bottom slab, cement being first placed in the grooves 8.

The end slabs are then inserted vertically beon the sides and ends of the vault forces the square corners of the tenons into the square corners of the mortises, thus preventing any force being exerted upon the acute-angle of the tenon and also preventing the exertion of any force tending to break 0d the weaker end *of the side slabs.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a burial-vault, a cement slab forming a portion thereof and having formed along one edge a tenon, the inner face of which is parallel with the face of the slab and the outer face of which is undercut, a mating slab having a corresponding mortise formed therein, and a strengthening-bar embedded in the mating slab and carrying portions which extend alongside the two sides of the mortise.

2. In a burial-vanlt, a cement slab forming a portion thereof, said slab having a mortise formed across its inner face, a strengtheningbar embedded in said slab and carrying portions which extend parallel with the sides of the mortise.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and sea], at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of March, A. D. 1902.

GEORGE B. OKEY. [L. S.]

W'itnesses:

ARTHUR M. IlooD, ALBERT J. GODDARD. 

